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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mate · racket · object · squash · mouse · face · chip · press

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. chip — for betting
  3. press — to push
  4. squash — to crush
  5. press — a publisher
  6. mate — a partner
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. object — an aim
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. squash — the sport
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — to confront
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. object — a thing
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. face — part of the head
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. object — to protest
  20. mate — to breed
  21. press — newspapers
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chip — in a computer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com